Automatic filling-replenishing loom.



M. L. STONE. AUTO ATIC FILLING REBLENISHING LOOM.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 13,1908; 912435 Patented Feb. 16, 190%}.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 M. L. STONE. AUTOMATIC FILLINQBEPLENISHING LOOK.

urmonxon nun IAB..13,1908.

912,435. Patented m. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. L. STONE. AUTOMATIC FILLING RBPLENISHING LOOM.

I APPLIOATION IILED MAE.13, 1908. I v 91 2,3 5 Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

MELVIN L. STONE, OF LEWISTON, MAINE, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPERcoMPANnor'noPEn-Am,

MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AUTOMATIC FILLING-REPLENISHING 1.00M.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1c, 1909.

Application filed March 13, 1908 Serial No. 420,773.

the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates more particularly to automaticfilling-replenishing looms of the type wherein a series of drop orshifting shuttle-boxes are located on the lay at the end opposite thatat which filling replenishinent is effected, and the replenishingmechanism includes a filling-feeder in which are arranged fillingcarriers or bobbins the yarn thereon differing in color or character.Such a loom is shown in United States Patent No. 600,053 granted March1, 1898 to WVyman & Crompton, the construction being such that a bobbinhaving yarn of the particular character or color required to be suppliedto the then running shuttle will be transferred automatically from thefeeder when such shuttle is in the single shuttlebox at the replenishingend of the lay. The filling-carriers are arranged in groups in thefeeder or hopper, according to a predetermined sequence as to theircharacteristics, corresponding to the sequence of the shuttles in theshifting shuttle-boxes, and by connections with the box-motion thefeederis arranged to move in synchronism with the shifting boxes, sothat the filling-carrier of a group in transferring position will havefilling of a character or color corresponding to that in the runningshuttle. By this arrangement the running shuttle will be supplied withsimilar filling whenever the running filling requires replenishment. If,for

instance, each group of filling-carriers in the feeder contains aregular sequence of red, white and blue yarn, the red filling-carrier ofa group will be positioned for transfer while the shuttle containing redfilling is in action, a blue filling-carrier will be positioned when therunning filling is blue, and so on.

In my present invention I have provided means for controlling themovement of the feeder from the box motion in order to properly positionthe filling carrier next to be transferred and I have .so constructedthe feeder that the arrangement of the fillingcarriers in proper groupsis facilitated.

' The transferring mechanism contains various novel features ofconstruction and operation, the transferrer being so constructed andlocated that the entire feeder may be filled with bobbins, while thetransferrr is wholly contained Within the feeder itse I have providednovel means for controlling the movement of the feeder by or through thebox motion, so that the proper filling-carrier of-a group is positionedfor transfer according to the particular shuttle of the set which is inuse, or active. The advance of the feeder after each transfer isgoverned by or through the transferring means, and entirely independentof the means governed by the box motion, so that the advance movementwill bring the cor- 7t responding filling-carrier of the next group intotransferring position, and such position will be maintained unlesschanged by a shiftof the drop or shifting shuttle-boxes.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described inthe subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in thefollowing claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sufficient portion of a loom, with oneembodiment-of myinvention applied thereto, the drop or shiftingshuttle-boxes at the nearer side of the loom being shown in section.Fig. 2 is an; enlarged front elevation of the novel portion of thefilling replenishing mechanism, the outer member of the feeder and thefilling-end holder being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection through the axis of the feeder, on the line 3-3, Fig. 4:. Fig. 4is a cross section on the line 4-4, Fig.2, looking toward the left.

Referring to Fig. l, the lay 1 has mounted thereon at one-end drop orshifting shuttle-boxes 2, shown as having four cells each adapted tocontain a shuttle of the automatically self-threading type-theshuttlc-boxes being mounted on a lifter-rod 4, of usual construction,operatively connected by a link me1nber'5 with the vibrator 6 forming apart of the box in'otion, all of 105 which parts are of well knownconstruction I and operate in usual mannerfit In practice the box-motionis controlled by a pattern mechanism, as in the patent hereinbeforereferred to, so that any oneof .110

the series-of shuttles is operatively positioned to lay filling.

At the bpposite side of the loom the filling-replenisping mechanism ismounted to a-utomatica'l y effect a change of filling in the runningshuttle when the latter is in the single shuttle-box at the adjacent endof the the loom frame and extended rearwardly therefrom above and nearthe path of the day, said mechanism comprising essentially a feeder forthe filling-carriers and atransferrer to transfer such filling-carriersone by one to the shuttle. I have herein shown the feeder as a cake-likestructure comprising a circular disk or plate 8 having supports IlOF'lZlIG lbutts of the filling-carriers, as for instancelperipheralpockets 9 open at their outer ends and arranged in a circleconcentricwith the axis of the feeder, and a tipsupporting plate 10, Fig. 2, shownin dotted lines and connected fixedly with the disk 8 by parallel rodsor bars 11, the structure of the disk 10 being of any suitable charactertosustain the tips of the filling-carriers, as in thepreviously-mentioned patent. A bellshaped guide 12 and a holding-stud13, see dotted lines Fig. 2, are mounted on the disk 10 to rotatetherewith, the filling-ends led over the edge of-the guide 12 and thenceto the stud 13, around which they are wound in usual manner. The pockets9 are in the outer face of the disk 8, within the feeder,

and the opposite inner face is provided adjacent its edge with a seriesof teeth 14: and intervening concave spaces 15, constituting a speciesof escapement-ratchet, for a purpose to he described. A plain toothedratchet 16 is secured to or formed on the inner face of the disk 8,concentric with its axis but of much less radius than theescapement-ratcoet, as shown in Fig. 1, to cooperate with the feed pawlwhich effects ad vance movement of the feeder after transfer of afilling-carrier.

The stand 7 has an inwardly extended hub 17 internally shouldered at 18,Fig. 3, and a heavy sleeve 15) is extended through the hub and fixedlyheld therein, as by setscrews 20, the outer end of the sleeve having anenlarged, circular and flat head 21, a tubular guide 22 extendingdownward radially from the bottom of the head. Upon the sleeve isrotatably mounted the elongated hub 23 of the dislcti, said hub and thedisk being interposed between the sleeve head 21 and the internalshoulder 18, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, to prevent endwise movementof'the hub, As an additional positioning device screw-studs 24 in thehub of the stand 7 enter an annular groove 25 in the disk hub 23,permitting it to rotate but preventing endwise movement.

The angular movement of the feeder will brin one filling-carrier afteranother immediately below the aide 22 into position to be transferred,as s own in Fig. 4, where some of the filling-carriers 26 are shown, itbeing understood that a coin lete circle of filling-carriers can beused. 11 my present invention said filling-carriers are adapted to bearranged in a plurality of roups, the number in each group correspon ingto the number of shuttles used, and the filling thereon differing incharacteristics, that is, in color or character. Supposing four shuttiesare being used, carrying respectively red, white, blue and greenfilling, counting downward from the topmost shuttle ,3 of the set, Fig.1, then each group of fillingcarriers will .be arranged 1n the samerecurring sequence, red, white, blue and green, referrin to the yarncarried on each, and indicated in Fig. 4, r, w, b and g.

In order that the fillin of the running shuttle may be replenished by afilling-carrier having filling of the same color it is necessary to socontrol the movement of the feeder that it will be synchronous with theshifting movement of the shuttle-boxes 2. That is, if the runningfilling is red then the feeder must operatively position for transferthe filling-carrier in the active group which has red filling, and ifthe shuttleboxes shift to render active the shuttle car: rying greenfilling, say, then the feeder must move to position the green fillin-carrier of the active group. I will now escribe the means forintermittin ly moving the feeder synchronously with t e movement of theshifting shuttle-boxes. A awl-carrier 27 is mounted to rock on the hu23. between the disk 8 and the stand 7 and has its outer end 105 bentdown and outward, at 28, Fig. 1, and pivotally connected with a shortupturned arm 29 carrying a rotatable roller-pawl 30 normally held in oneof the spaces 15 of the.

escapement-ratchet by a spring 31. The up- 110 per end of a link 32 ispivotallyronnected at 33 with the pawl-carrier, the lower end of thelink being jointed to an arm 34, see dotted lines Fig. 1, on arock-shaft 35 mounted near the base of the loom and ax-i115 tending fromside to side, said shaft at the drop-box side of the loom having asecond arm 36 extended rearwardly and forked to embrace a stud 37 on thelifter-rod 4-. As the top-most shuttle-box is in operative p0 120sitionthe pawl-carrier 27 is in its lowest )0- sition, but if theshuttle-boxes are raise to operatively position another shuttle thepawl-carrier Wlll be raised by means of the controlling connectionsbetween it and the 126 lifter-rod 4t, and the pawl will cooperate withthe esca ement-ratchet to move the feeder angular y the proper amount tooperatively position the proper filling-carrier.

Lowering of the shuttle-boxes causesthecon- 130 {tended rotatablythrough trolling means to turn the feeder correspondingly, out in theopposite direction. so that as the boxesshit't the feeder will be oscilithe actuator adjacent the end of the sleeve 19. Said actuator isprovided with a crank 47 near the disk 8 of the feeder,and al1nkl8 has abox 49 embracing the crank, the other ment with the peripheral ratchetot' the disk 3 8, and also acts through the pawl to hold the feederquiescent under normal conditions,

but if the feeder isaulvanced. as it is after each trairter, to bringanother group of tilting ee r spring 3 yields as the pawl 50 rolls oversome of he teeth ll of the ratchet, will he manifest.

In order to facilitate the loading of the with filling-carriers in theirproper i l t.

grout sequence 1 have herein provided the bntt-sa porting disk withvisual indicators at ranged in groups, and ditl'ering from each other,but in a regular order. Thus, in l present instance, I paint the backsof the packets or seats 9 to correspond with the color of the filling onthe filling-carriers "whose butts are to be seated in such supportingpockets. and in Fig. 4 the indicators for a group are lettered R, Vi, lland G respectively. When the weaver tiils the feeder a glance at anempty support will show at once by its indicating color that thefillingcarrier to be seated therein must ha ve filling of the samecolor. This greatly facilitates the filling up of the feeder from timeto time, relievii'ig the weaver of considerable care and trouble andalways insuring the correct sequence in the groups so long as the visualindicators are observed and their indi cations followed.

1 will now describe the transferrer and the actuating means therefor,and the means for advancing the feeder after each transferringoperation. The translerrcr is herein made as a preferably cylindricalbar 38 I I o in the guide 252 and having r end a head 39 with a concavedricr "to be tran, erred, a laterally extended having tlownturned end 42to constitute a tipajlepressor, to engage the tip of the fillingcarriervhen it" "si It. will be noted t the trait .rrcr and its fixed guide 22e located wholly within the feeder, and inside the circle of filling-ta"riers, and by means oi the novel actuating means for thetrai'i.--,ferrer the entire circle of filling-cars can be used. The g:'de is slotted .at 45. l, to permit the movement of the arm duringtransfer. An act lot for the transl'errer. shown a shaft 44-, isexthesleeve 1.), the and the outer end latter forming'a bearing.

the shat't.

pinion being secured to the inner end of iers into active position, the:

projecting from the stand 7, Fi sees loosely through a hub or 4-3 on theouter disk of the feedeiya 1 end of the link having a hub looselyembracing the arm 41 adjacent the upper end of the transferrer 38. \Vhenthe actuator is given a halt revolution from the position shown thecrank and link will operate the transferrer, depressing it in a radialdirection and moving the fillingcarrier below it into the shuttle whenboxed at that end of the lay adjacent the feeder. The pinion 46 mesheswith a large gear 51 mounted on the stand 7, said gear in turn meshingwith a smaller gear 52 fast on the inner end of a horizontal rock-shaft53, mounted in a hearing 54 on the stand and having fast on its outerend the hub of a depending arm 55. Said arm carries a notched dog 56lifted by a spring 57 into the path of a hunter on the lay (not shown)when filling trans 'er to be ellected, substantially as in United StatesPatent No. 5291940, granted November 27,

189i to J. H. Northrop. When the dog is parting the requisite angularmovement to the actuator H to operate the transferrer. Return of thelatter to normal position is etl'cctcd by 2 strong spring 58, Fig. 2,attached at one end to the gear and at its other end niade fast to thebearing 54, the gearing then turning re'versely to the direction arrowsin Fig. 1. A stop lug 59 on the stand 7, Fig. 4, limits the returnmovement of the transferrer and its operating devices by engaging thearm 55 on its spring-actu' ated stroke.

When any filling-carrier of'agroup has been removed by the transferrerthe feeder mustbe' advanced automatically to bring aniiur-carrierthereof beneath the transferrer having filling corresponding incharacteris- I 1 3 tics to'thc filling-carrier previously removed, armAll riguh connected with said bar 38 and this'advai'ice movement isell'ccted by means indcpemlcnt of the feeder oscillating in ans,previously described, the feeding means being governed by thetransferring i nstrumentality.

A. rearwardly extended arm (30 has its hub (31. Fig. 2, fixedly securedto the rocksbal'lz 533. between the bearing and the arm 57 the said arm60 having pivotally conuectwl with itan upturned pawl 62, Fig. '1.provided with a tooth (33 to at times cooperate with the ratchet 16. thebase of the pawl being shaped to present a cam por tion 6-iadapted tocotiperato with a stud 65 1 and 2,

a spring (30 serving to keep the pawl in engagement with the stud. Whenthe transteia-er is depressed to remove a filling-carother group intoactive position with a fill- I the cam part 64 and the stud 65disengages the pawl tooth from the ratchet. This cam rier from thefeeder the downward swing of arm draws down the pawl 63 and as the campart 64 leaves the stud 65 thespring causes the tooth 63 to move intoenga ement with the ratchet 16, clicking over e teeth thereof until thepawl is in its lowest position. After transfer the arm 60 swings up,moving the pawl 62 and thereby turning the ratchet l6 and the feeder inthe direction of arrow 67 until the cooperation of art is of such lengththat the pawl will e thrown out when the feederhas been advanced a.distance equal to the distance be tween two similarly characterizedfilling.- carriers in two successive groups. Ifa carrier havin bluefillin has been transferred then the a Vance of t e feeder will besufficient to bring the carrier having blue filling, in the next group,into position under the transferrer. When suchofced or advance movementof the feeder is effected, to change groups, the roller pawl 30 willclick over the teeth 14 of the peripheral escapement ratchet and permitt e advance, its spring 31 drawing it into a concavity .15 when theadvance is completed, so that the feeder is then controlled once more bythe shuttle box-motion. If a smaller number of fillingcarriers makes upa grou then the cam POlLlOIl 6-1 of the feed paw is made longer, and ifmore filling-carriers are used said cam is shortened. As soon as thefeed pawl has completed its work it is thrown into inoperativecondition, as will be manifest, so that the box-motion immediatelyassumes control through the means provided for the purpose.

The transferring instrumentality is very direct in its operation,simple, and positive in action, and by mounting the actuator eoaxialwith the feeder the entire bobbinholding portion thereof can beutilized, as will be evident. Each of the means which controls movementof the feeder is independent, and cooperates separately with the feeder,so that a simplification of ,mechanism is effected and at the same timeeach means has its own function.

I have not shown any means for effecting the movement of the dog 56 intooperative position when filling replenishment is required, as such meansis common and well known in the art, and is illust aied in the Northroppatent before referred to, replenishment being effected either uponfailure of filling through the usual filling-fork devices or by afeeler, mechanism, equally well known, if the replenishment is to beeffected before complete exhaustion of the filling in the runningshuttle. V

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A filling-feeder having a plurality of oups of two or morefilling-carriers difering in the characteristics of their filling,

combined with means to intermittently e feet angular movement of thefeeder to bring one or another filling-carrier in a.

group into position to be transferred, and

independent means separately connected .distance at each operation ofsuch separate means, to bring'successive groups into active position.

3. A rotatable filling-feeder having a plurality. of circularival-rangedgroups of filling-carriers differing inthe characteristics of theirfilling, combined with means cooperating with the feederadjaccnt itsperiphery to intermittingly effect angular movement thereof and therebyposition one or another filling-carrier of the active group, andindependent means cot perating directly with the feeder near its axis ofrotation to move the feede always in the same direction and for a fixeddistance, to bring suceessive groups of filling-carriers into activeposition. 1

4. A rotatable filling feeder including a disk having a ratchet-likeperiphery and adapted to contain filling-carriers arranged in aplurality of groups of two or more, the filling-carriers in a groupditfering in the el'iaravteristics of their filling, means, including ayieldinglvcontrolled pawl to cotiperale with the periphery of saidfeeder disk, to move the feeder angular-1y and operatively position oneor another filling-carrier of a group, and indrpemlentmeans tointermitlingly advance the feeder a constant distance to bring one groupafter another into active position. the pawl yielding when said lattermeans advances the feeder.

5. A filling-feeder"having a plurality of ,Q'l'UHPh' of two or moretilllug-carriers differing in the characteristics of their filling,combined with means coiiperaiing with one part of the feeder toinlcrmiltingly'effect angular movei-nent of the feeder to bring one oranother filling-carrier in a group into position to be transferred. andindependent means to intermiltingly and directly r'ro'e perate with adill'ercnr part of and advance the feeder a distance equal to ,the

Hing-feeder having a plurality of,

the escapement-ratcl at and in "anittingly fer and bring a new group offilling-carriers ,other and coiiperating separately with the mac-sodistance between a filling-carricr in one up and a correspondinglycharacterized Hing-carrier in another group, the firstnamed meanspermitting such advance of the feeder and resumin control of the feederas the advance is comp cted.

G. A filling-feeder having a plurality of groups of two or morefilling-carriers differmg in the characteristics of their filling,combined with means indirect and yielding engagement with and to effectoscillator movement of the feeder to ope'ratively position one oranother filling-carrier in the active group, independent means tocoiiperate directly with a different part of and effect advance movementof the feeder a constant distance after a filling-carrier has beentransferred, and a device to automatically disconnect said latter meansand the feeder after each advance of the latter is completed.

' 7. A rotatable filling-feeder havingan at-. tached feed-ratchet, andprovided with filling-carriers arran ed in groups, each group containinga lura ity of filling-carriers having filling di ering in character orcolor, and an escapement-ratchet rotatable with the feeder, combinedwith means cotiperating therewith to hold the feeder from movement andalso to move it to operatively position any filling-carrier of a group,and separate means cooperating with the feed-ratchet to rotate thefeeder a distance equal to the number of filling-carriers in a group.

8. A rotatable filling-feeder having an attached feed-ratchet and aperipherally-arranged escapement-ratchet, a plurality of groups offilling-carriers of two or more having filling differing in color, atransferrer to remove the filling-carriers one by one, and meanscotiperating with the feedratchet and actuated by the transferrer toadvance the feeder after each transfer and operatively position thefilling-carrier of the next group having filling of the same color,combined with separate means, including a yieldingly-controlled oawl, tocotipcratc with move the feeder to o; :ratively position for transferone or anotl er of the filling-carriers in the active gron the pawlnormally preventing movement 0 the feeder but yielding when the feederis advanced.

9. The combination, with shifting shuttleboxes, a filling-feederprovided with fillingcar'rie'rs arran ed in groups-t0 present filling ofdifferent characteristics, and means controlled by movement of theshuttle-boxes tooscillate the feeder in synchronism therewith, of atransferrer, and means controlled thereby to rotate the feeder aftereach transintoeactive position, the feeder oscillating and rotatingmeans being independent of each feeder.

l0. Thecombinati-on, with shifting shuttleboxes, a filling-feederprovided with fillingcarricrs arranged in groups to present filling ofdifferent characteristics, and means controlled by movement of theshuttle-boxes to oscillate the feeder in synchronism there with, of atransferrer, and means controlled thereby to rotate the feeder aftereach transfer a distance equal to the space occupied by a group offilling-carriers, to thereby bring into active position a new group, theoscillating means serving also to normally prevent movement of thefeeder and being independent of the feeder-rotating means.

11. A rotatable filling-feeder containing a. series of filling-carriersarranged in like groups of recurring sequence as to the differentcharacteristics of the filling on the.

carriers of each group, a plurality of shuttle maintain in position tobe transferred a filling-carrier whose filling corresponds to thatcontained in the then active shuttle, independent means coiiperatingseparately with the feeder to rotate the latter after each transfer andoperatively position a similarly characterized filling-carrier in a newgroup, and a transferrer operatively connected with and to effect theactuation of said feeder rotating means.

l2. Shifting shuttle-boxes, a lifter-rod operatively connected with andto effect a change in the position of said boxes, a filling-feederhaving a series of filling-carriers, and means connecting saidlifting-rod and the feeder to causeisynchronous movement of theshuttle-boxes and feeder, combined with a transferrer locatedwhollywithin the feeder, an actuator for the transferrer coaxial withthe feeder, and'means operated by the actuator to effect predeterminedadvance of the feeder after each transfer.

13. In a loom, a rotatable feeder provided with a plurality of groups offilling supplies, the supplies constituting each group being arranged ina predetermined sequence distinguished by differing characteristics inthe filling, a series of shuttles, means to place one or another intoactive position and to synchronously move the feeder to position acorrespondingly characteristic filling supply in readiness to betransferred, independent means separately and directly coiiperating withthe feeder to bring into active position a fresh group of fillingsupplies after each transfer, and a transferring instrumentalitycontrolling the operation of said independent means.

14. Afilling-feeder, a fixed axis on which it is rotatably mounted, apawl-carrier fulcrumed coaxially therewith, and a yieldingcontrolldroller-pawl on said pawl-carrier, an escapement-ratchet on the feederand with which the pawl cooperates, to move the feeder in eitherdirection or to normally retain it quiescent, combined with shiftingshuttle-boxes, and connections between it and the pawl-carrier, toeffect angular movement of the feeder synchronously with shiftingmovement of the shuttle-boxes.

15. In a filling-feeder,adisk havingahub and a series ofcircularly-arranged supports for the butts of the filling-carriers, afixed sleeve on which the hub is rotatably mounted, a radially movabletransferrer, a guide therefor rigidly connected with the sleeve, anactuating shaft extended through the sleeve and operatively connectedwith the transferrer, and means outside the disk and connected with theshaft, to turn the same and operate the transferrer.

16. In a filling-feeder, a rotatable disk having a series ofcircularly-arranged supports for the butts of the filling-carriers, ashaft extended axially through the disk, means outside the latter toturn said shaft, a transferrer at the opposite side of said disk, :1fixed guide therefor sustained wholly Within the circle offilling-carriers, and an operating connection between the transferrerand the shaft;

- 17. In a filling-feeder, a rotatable disk having a series ofcircularly-arranged supports for the butts of the filling-carriers, anangularly movable actuator extended axially through thedisk, a radiallymovable trans ferrer wholly Within the circle of fillingcarriers andoperatively connected with the actuator, and means outside the disk toeffect angular movement of the actuator.

18. A filling-carrier comprising circular disks to sustain the butts andtips of a circularly-arranged series of filling-carriers, rods rigidlyconnecting said disks, a transferrer located wholly between the disksand within the circle of filling-carriers, ayrotatable actuator axiallyextended through the disks and operatively connected, with thetransferrer, and means to rotate the actuator, connected therewithoutside the disks.

19. A stand, a horizontal sleeve fixedly mounted thereon, a disk havinga hub rotatably mounted on the sleeve and provided with supports for the"butts of a series of filling-carriers, a radial guide on the sleeveadjacent the face of the disk, a transferrer slidably mounted in theguide, said guide and transferrer being Wholly within the cir- 010 offilling-carriers, an actuating shaft extended through the sleeve, a linkpivotally connected at one end with the transferrer and at its otherend. connected eccentrically with the shaft, and means to turn the shaftto actuate the transferreri.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence 0 two subscribing Witnesses.

MELVIN L. STONE.

Witnesses: 1

EDWIN F. S'romu! SETH M. CARTER.

